Fees in advance at the district court

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rontom

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Hi Unfortunately I am going to the district court. I have retained a Solicitor. He has given me an estimate and asked for it in advance.

Is it usual to ask the client for the fee to be paid in advance.

I am not a shady character, a flight risk or anything like that. I have property. a family a good reputation and pay my bills on time etc.
 
Does paying it in advance cause any particular difficulty for you?

I presume it makes sense for the solicitor to collect once-off fees in advance as this is easier than collecting later when a minority of people might be more reluctant to pay - particularly if the individual amounts involved are relatively minor and not worth the hassle & bureaucracy of chasing afterwards.
 
Hi. Thanks for the reply.
Paying in advance does not create a financial difficulty for me, but the sum is not trivial. No professional that I deal with asks for money in advance, nor would I ask my clients for fees in advance.
 
If you're unhappy with their terms, you should really shop around and find another with a better offer.
 
I am not unhappy. Just wondering is it normal?. Do solicitors normally charge in advance?
 
Yes, it is normal to pay a solicitor in advance for a District Court appearance, unless you are an existing regular client of that firm .
 
rontom said:
No professional that I deal with asks for money in advance, nor would I ask my clients for fees in advance.
Click to expand...

I don't pay professionals in advance either. Has the solicitor worked for you before? Does he know you.

You mentioned the sum is not trival, would you mind stating around how much it is?
 
Yes he knows me. We have not worked together before though. Fee is in excess of €600.
 
I think that solicitors tend to charge for the District court in advance where it's an unknown client and it's a one off. Say public order offences, motoring issues etc. The solicitor knows you but you are not a client, which is key to why he wants the fee up front. I presume you've picked him because he's good, you've agreed a fee, so I'd just pay it. He doesn't want to be chasing people for money afterwards, it's different if your a client as he would know that you would for sure pay him (in general).
 
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